Spanish has several verb tenses to express the past; two of them are Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto (present perfect simple) and Pretérito Perfecto Simple (simple past). This is how to distinguish them:

Pretérito Perfecto Compuestois normally accompanied by expressions that refer to the present time. The reason for this is that this tense describes a perfect (finished) action that was completed within the same time frame the speaker is talking from. This is a subjective measure, and can change depending on the speaker’s perspective, according to how relevant the past action is in today’s world.

Pretérito Perfecto Simple can be accompanied by past time expressions that are not related to the present. It is a finished action that was completed in a time frame that is different to the one the speaker is talking from (again, subjectively). Therefore, the action is not relevant today.

Company Information

Transparent Language is a leading provider of best-practice language learning software for consumers, educational institutions, government agencies and businesses. Transparent Language's products are also used in more than 12,000 civilian and government institutions, including major universities and government facilities, such as the Defense Language Institute and Foreign Service Institute.